Denna's Game
by ficwriterm
Summary: Denna has captured Cara and aims to weaken her mind more to compromise Cara's devotion to protect Richard. But things start to turn into new dimensions when two strong-willed Mord-Siths challenge each other.
1. Chapter 1

"Poor Cara. So beautiful and so helpless!"

Denna looked at Cara hanging from her wrists in Denna's chamber. She looked at Cara's figure, her eyes and straight hair. Her hair fell beautifully on her shoulders even in that uncomfortable position. Yeah, she is beautiful, I give her that. Very beautiful.

"Hah, Denna, if you are going to torture me, your efforts will be useless. I have already experienced so much physical pain, and not only that, that I can handle anything. And especially from you. Easily."

This was nonchalant Cara at her best. Cara looked at Denna with scorn and smiled. Denna almost admired this Cara's strong expressive face, her lips, from which she was able to say very direct things to anybody.

"It's you Denna, it's you who need help," Cara said stronger. "You will not get anything from me. You can play your little mind games forever, if you didn't yet learn that things are more complex than that."

Denna smiled and shook her head. She looked aside, gave a little laugh and slowly turned her eyes back to Cara.

"Well Cara, I know you. I know how you used to think and how you were like me. And sure you still think pretty much that way. But you have also changed."

Denna saw her physical appearance still as Mord-Sith's: a wonderful body, arms and legs so dangerous in fighting, her skills. A face and a body which said at the same time 'yes' and 'I don't give a damn', in an irresistible manner. But, Denna was sure about it, Cara's mind was already softened, not any more on the level of her Mord-Sith's trained body. And Denna would weaken Cara's mind more, much more.

Both these strong women looked directly at each other's eyes.

"I knew you would say exactly that Cara. That I needed help."

"What do you mean?"

But Denna avoided the question.

"You cannot protect Richard forever, you know that. I am going to take him. I will take him. So let it happen before it gets too difficult for you, let him go."

Denna walked around Cara. The chamber was silent except the sound of her steps and the their breathing. Denna looked at her from the corner of her eye but Cara looked just straight, expressionless. Tough, that woman is tough, Denna thought, but knew it already.

She turned to Cara smiling and lifted her hand. She played with Cara's costume details and brought her hand gently up to touch Cara's hair, starting to caress it. Her face was very close to Cara's and they felt each other's breathing.

"You are a proud Mord-Sith, aren't you Cara?"

"Richard will be safe, Cara said a bit angrily. You cannot harm him."

"Oh no Cara, you get it wrong! I'm not speaking about Richard physical safety."

She felt the warmth of Cara and continued to caress her straight hair. Yeah, straight hair, not any more the single braid.

"I'm speaking about letting him go from that part of the mind that should not exist for a Mord-Sith, Cara, from that part of your mind," Denna continued.

"Yeah right, my mind, huh? Now even you are starting to question my mind? You waste your time and bore me Denna," Cara turned her head a little to the side.

"I can easily see you have started to have, well, how should I say…attachments. Emotional attachments that I didn't expect to see from you."

Denna half spitted these words out of her mouth. She kept her face now close in front of Cara's face, a pair of deep eyes challenging another pair, a deceivingly serene face of Denna against the beautifully expressive one of Cara. Denna moved right in front of Cara, unashamedly close.

"A Mord-Sith, right?" Denna formed the words sensually and slowly on her lips, looking Cara closely in the eye.

The touching of their bodies was inevitable. A slight shiver ran through both of them at that moment, but Cara stayed unmoved while Denna didn't stop looking Cara deep into her eyes.

"Whatever you try with me Denna, I'm not going to give up!"

"I will give you pain Cara. But that pain will not necessary be physical. I'm going to take Richard out of your mind, I swear it."  
Nothing in Caras external appearance revealed if Denna's words had touched her.

"Guards, let her down," Denna ordered.


	2. Chapter 2

After the initial happenings in the chamber, when Denna had captured Cara and brought her to her site, Cara was given proper room and was like a guest and not prisoner. Denna of course knew right away that Cara is too clever, and in fact too proud, to try anything, attack or escape. An elite woman, yeah, she liked that.

Cara knew it herself too. She would stay until she knew what was it with her mind that Denna was so curious about, and what was Denna's ambition. It wasn't too bad either. She took a good bath, relaxed and was served by lesser Mord-Siths.

"You wanna fight? Denna asked the next day, playfully and showing a completely different, happy face. I mean, practice fighting. Like we used to do, the good old times, you remember?"

What is this, Cara thought, more tricks from Denna? What is she trying now? But she had to admit she missed those Mord-Sith trainings.

"Ok, hmm, why not! I'll beat you", Cara said laughing. Now a little smile appeared on her face. After all she didn't hate Denna. Why not remember a little their common past on the way of becoming Mord-Siths.

They started to fight on the grass, remembering the many techniques they had learned, defending and attacking with blows of agiels, kicks and fists.

"You are in good condition, Cara, I see it! "

"Of course I am, why shouldn't I be."

The two women intensified their battle and in the heat of the fight Cara forgot a little the thoughts and what happened the previous day.

"I'm gonna put you to ground, Denna!"

Cara got more excited and landed a couple of strong blows to Denna, but Denna fought back hard and they fell on the ground, half-serious but also enjoying the physical activity.

"Ahh, stay damn down there!" Cara managed to push Denna on the ground and moved her body on her, both starting to feel exhausted from the fight.

"Hah, try harder Cara, I'm not down yet! "

Cara fought now stronger and managed to get Denna under her and kept her with arms. Both women were gasping, with Cara's hair a little on Denna's face.

"Give up, Denna!"

"I won't!" Denna smiled, and for a short moment Cara had a little feeling that Denna was teasing her.

"Give up, damn!" Cara pushed Denna stronger to ground on her wrists, their bodies in contact and her face very close to Denna's.

Like a sudden flash of light it occurred came to Cara that this is very similarly the mirror situation of the face-off she had yesterday in Denna's chamber. Oh, perfect, Cara thought. Yesterday's thoughts entered immeadiatly back to her mind.

"What is it with my mind and me serving Richard, Denna! What is it? What you mean by letting go?" She pressed Denna now stronger and looked close at Denna's eyes and her soft features.

Denna looked at her exhausted and smiling.

"Hah! What you're gonna do? Hit me? Kill me?"

"Damn you. You must tell me! I'm a Mord-Sith too!"

"Or..." Denna murmurs something in a low voice, almost silently, inspecting closely Denna's eyes and lips. "...with those lips of yours..."

"Shit, Denna."

Cara shivered and didn't really understand what Denna was saying. The sudden new light on the situation made Cara forget completely that they were fighting. Now it was again just she and Denna, the eyes, the challenge, the smiles, neither of them yielding to the other and the inescapable contact of their bodies. Cara's hair was still on Denna's face.

"Yeah we are Mord-Siths, Cara." Denna's voice was quiet and spoke directly to Cara's mind. "Kiss m..."

In a split second after Denna gasped the words Cara pressed her lips on Denna's. With eyes and smile that didn't betray any hesitation, she kissed Denna with all the released energy from their play fight. Denna responded submissively, then all the more greedily to her demanding lips.

"Goddammit Denna..."

Their bodies intertwined now tighter on the dry grass, both women taking enjoyment from the situation, unashamed enjoyment from the other. Any motive of lifting up, leaving the game, was out of question. Denna kissed Cara's sweet lips, this Mord-Sith who had chosen a different path than her, and who again had surprised her so well...Cara's passion was so intensive that Denna hadn't calculated on it, things were now out of her hands, out of what she had planned.

Thoughts ran through Cara's mind...The gentle yet deceptive face of Denna, her tough body and mind, her eagerness to fight with her... Cara needed challenge and Denna offered that. Hell, this was it! As weird as it sounded, this was it, challenge. She wanted to be challenged, she yearned to be challenged for...for what? For her possible hesitation. Since her hesitation had led to the death of her father through her becoming Mord-Sith. She hasn't hesitated ever since and didn't hesitate now, in kissing Denna, of kissing her former friend and sister of the Agiel.

They kissed now each other with little smiles on their faces, both women on equal ground, challenging the other not any more by fighting but by other, sweeter means. For this fleeting moment their bodies and minds were the same, and the feeling of passion overwhelmed whatever were the differences in their current states of minds and ambitions. It was a strange reminder of a possible common destiny for both of them…. A common destiny condensed in this very moment, the moment of deep intensive kisses and smiles and eyes of these women, both of them unashamed, both of them unapologetic...yes, the Mord-Siths, the broken ones.


	3. Chapter 3

A gentle evening light caressed the landscape, the air was still warm and the forest around started to wake up to the night. Denna brushed her hair slowly at the mirror, preparing for the dinner. She felt warm on her cheeks when she remembered her experience with Cara earlier that day. Her body ached a little and her mind continued to play the moment of Cara's lips joining hers, half-closed eyes and hands sweetly pushing her down. It was a moment everybody would dream of.

Now it was clear to Denna: Cara wouldn't hesitate, even it meant that she would experience such kind of passions with her. Female passions, moments which she had thought would shake Cara's calm attitude and would risc her devotion to protect Richard. Denna had counted on that. She had counted that such moments would have set Cara off guard. They would have allowed Denna to play on Cara's insecurities, but in Cara's actions she didn't see any insecurity or hesitation. It would be only magic that could turn the situation around, to turn Cara back to the same side she was in.

"So, how was it?"

"How was what, Cara? "

"My kissing. You wanted that I kiss you, didn't you? You left me to beat you on purpose, right? Like in the game that who wins can kiss the other?"

"Alright Cara, you won, you got it. I wanted you to kiss me," Denna smiled, she accepted that her game was revealed. "Yes I wanted to test you."

"Well Denna... I guess I passed the test. I'm not that easy, haha!"

They ate and chatted lightly, finished the dinner and had dessert wine. Denna stood up and walked to the window of the parlor. She watched Cara with a soft, slightly enigmatic expression and then turned her gaze over the forest.

"I can tell you how it was, Cara. And I have dreamt about it...so many times. It was perfect."

"Oh yeah, Denna please! You tricked me, what did you expect? We kissed, long, and we liked it. I would do it again. Kiss the girl when you can. Right?"

But Denna just smiled and looked from the window. Cara slowly realized this was something new from Denna. Was Denna just showing a fragment of her emotional side by her silence? Cara had thought that what had happened, was just Denna's game, but apparently it wasn't, at least not only.

"I'm leaving Denna. And even if it sounds strange, I appreciate these moments together."

"I know."

Cara stood up and walked at Denna. Romantic evening... Cara was about to say with her typical style, but swallowed quickly the words when she saw Denna unmoved, just looking out from the window.

This Denna is a curious personality, Cara thinks. Cold, very cold, but I can see something special inside. Something searching its way out...Their hands touch at the side of the balcony... Was I like her in the beginning? So cold but so distorted inside…She caresses gently Dennas hair... Really was I like she is now?…I was...I was once...it's hell...

"You surely hate me Cara." Denna's eyelids were half closed.

For a short moment Cara felt pity for Denna. And now Cara recognized what Denna had said in the first day: that she had started to have feelings that she didn't expect. Yes, yes she had, and now even compassion toward this distorted soul that Denna was. Denna had been correct even Cara didn't want to admit it: she had changed from inside, due to her new quest, due to her serving Richard.

"You don't need to leave today. Stay overnight."

Cara saw the forest and heard sounds of animals moving invisibly at the forest edge. She hadn't stopped caressing Dennas hair and looking at her profile, hadn't stopped feeling the softness of her cheek and sensing the suppleness of her body. Two birds flew close by the window. Cara took Denna's hand in hers. They were enemies, but enemies with a damn deep connection.

"You know Denna, I could use a soft bed for one more night."

Denna's room was really beautiful. Cara was touched how Denna was miraculously calm at this moment, in her long dress and hair open. Am I underestimating her, the question went through her mind, but she realized soon its vanity. She is how she is. Dangerous, cruel, unsure but all the more difficult enemy. Yes, challenge, fire, all the stuff Cara loved. The best for dealing and working through her own past.

She watched Denna undress and go under the sheets. Cara smiled, looked out from the bedroom's window and listened again the sounds of the forest, singing of blackbirds in the nightfall. She took off her Mord-Sith costume and came next to Denna.

"Damn you hit me so well in that fight Denna! You will have some serious work to do this night to make me feel better!" They both bursted into laughter.

Next morning Cara woke up early and saw Denna still sleeping. She slowly moved over and pulled the sheets better on Denna. She looked at her white skin and caressed it, gently, her hair and her back, gave a kiss, saw her closed eyes and her smile. It was time for Cara to move on but she knew very well that they would meet again. And she didn't hear what Denna whispered to just when she closed the door: "You won this time Cara, but one day I'm gonna get you!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Cara! You are not dead!" Zedd shouted of joy when he saw Cara appear through the forest at their camp.

Richard and Kahlan ran at her while Zedd followed behind.

"We thought we lost you. It would have been a disaster," Richard said seriously. He put his hands on Cara's arms and hold her a little to let her feel that he was happy.

"Richard, I have sworn to serve you. I cannot die just like that."

Kahlan embraced both Richard and Cara and felt a bit emotional. Zedd started to smile looking at the group happy together.

"What happened? We were so worried." Kahlan turned to Cara. "We thought Rahl captured you when you disappeared in that night."

"No. It was Denna. Her lesser Mord-Siths knocked me unconscious on that forest path where I was supposed to come to you. They took me to her site."

"Denna!" Zedd's and Richard's eyes opened wider and Richard shivered slightly. "And you survived! What did that devil of a woman do to you? How did you get out of her hands? Oh you are really brave Cara."

Cara savored Richard's expression - devil of a woman - yes devil of a woman, not bad an expression, I could use that too hah.

"Did she harm you?"

It was Kahlan's turn to look worried at Cara. But she didn't notice any bruises or visible signs of harm on her face except a few smaller bruise-like marks on her neck. Her Mord-Sith costume appeared to be in good shape with no signs of cuts from sharp objects or anything. In fact, in this late morning sunlight Cara's skin and hair looked especially good and her appearance was like a knight returning from a battlefield.

"You look great Cara," Kahlan said and touched a bit shyly her arm, feeling relieved and a bit excited. "Doesn't she?" She turned to Richard, who nodded in agreement.

"Mind games, that was it. Denna's mind games and some fight. But I have started to learn her and this time I returned her challenge."

"This is something, Cara, really something!" Zedd started to praise. "You return from one of our biggest enemies and look like almost stronger than how you were before. I start to really believe we will fulfill our quest. I'm so glad you are on our side! We can't lose you."

He turned to Richard and Kahlan.

"Look at this woman my friends. Smiling, happy, relaxed, like nothing special happened, ready for more action!"

Cara smiled at Zedd's words. She loved the wizard. Like nothing happened, right. When she had just gone through some of her most personal experiences as challenged by Denna. Kahlan looked now Cara with a little bit of admiration.

"You are special, Cara. Special like Richard and Zedd. I haven't met a person like you before, especially a Mord-Sith. You are indeed..." Kahlan searched the word "...you are..."

"...amazing?" Cara quipped and turned her smiling green eyes to Kahlan, who got a bit warm on her cheeks.

"Aahhh hahahh Cara!" Zedd loved her quick remarks and cracked at this reply. He laughed loudly which caught Richard and Kahlan, who started to laugh as well.

Now they all knew that Cara was back, unchanged or even better than before!


End file.
